Glory and Grace

"Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You!"

Psalm 119:11

God's word lights our path to walk uprightly.  Jesus said if the light in a man's heart is darkness, how great is that darkness.  This illustrates the importance, not only to know God's word and practice it, but as much as we can to remember it accurately.  Reading God's word for ourselves is incredibly important to illuminate our hearts and minds, for God is faithful to open our eyes to truth we previously missed.

This reminder came to me recently as I read the familiar passage in Romans 3:23 that says, "...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."  As I read it with my own eyes I realised my tendency to say it, "...for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God."  This tense change from "fall" to "fallen" has a whole new meaning to it.  It is true we have all sinned and thus fallen short of God's glory, but the words of Paul emphasise we still do fall short even though we believe in Christ and have received the Gospel.  Our failure to live up to God's holy, perfect standard is a past and present reality.

This magnifies the grace of God spoken of in the following verse in Romans 3:24:  "...being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus..."  Because God has justified Christians by the atoning sacrifice of Jesus received by faith, we are able to begin to comprehend and walk in righteousness as God intended from the beginning.  He has washed us clean of the eternal punishment and power of sin, and God empowers us to walk uprightly.  We fall short, and God knows this.  How good it is we we also know this, praise God for His grace and extend it freely to others too!

God's grace is amazing, and amazingly we can fall short of it.  Hebrews 12:14-16 says, "Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: ¹⁵ looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; ¹⁶ lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright."  Knowing God's love, His word and salvation extended to us by grace enables us to pursue peace and holiness.  It is by God's grace our strength is renewed and we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to put off bitterness and walk uprightly.  The grace of God, instead of enabling sin, guards steadfastly against sin and provides godly perspective and instruction.

See how grace teaches us in Titus 2:11-14:  "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, ¹² teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, ¹³ looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ, ¹⁴ who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works."  Having received God's grace we are called to walk righteously with eyes looking to Jesus.  He has redeemed and purified us that we might reject ungodliness and do what pleases Him.  Praise the LORD for His glorious grace, even when we mistakenly misquote His word!